INSIDER

How to Get Your Daily Chocolate Fix Without the Calories

Chocolate addicts are about to get some very good news. It’s already been established that dark chocolate can lower the risk of heart disease, but getting the health benefits without the calories that come with it can be a challenge. Well, not for long.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston are in the process of recruiting volunteers aged 60 and older for a four-year study that will test whether or not taking a daily dose of cocoa extract has a positive effect on the body.

According to the Women’s Health Initiative, half of the study’s participants will be given a placebo, while the other half will take the actual cocoa pill, which will be the equivalent of eating 1000 calories worth of dark chocolate. “We'll be rigorously testing whether the cocoa flavanols do reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, cognitive decline and many other conditions over time," said lead researcher, Dr. JoAnn Manson.

If the pill works, it could signal a major breakthrough for scientists and nutritionists alike, both of whom have acknowledged the health benefits associated with chocolate, as well as the dangers. Unfortunately, it could be years before we see the dark chocolate supplements on the market, so for now we’ll have to get our fix the traditional way.